Lavatory device



.Fuly 25, 1939. E. HENSCHLER 2,167,152

LAVATORY DEV I C E Filed May 15; 193% .ZEZWf/Y far;- ElaZJ/flm 502 [97; 7717): l ss es:

ratented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAVATORY DEVICE Ewald Henschler, Blue Island, 11],

Application May 13, 1938, Serial No. 207,681

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a lavatory device and, more particularly, to a novel device for application to a lavatory to exhaust vapors, etc., therefrom.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a novel lavatory device for ventilating or exhausting vapors, etc., from the bowlof the lavatory; which comprises a novel structure capable of application to-the bowl and seat structure without additional fastening means, and in .such position as to be protected from ,the water; which can be applied Without alteration of the structure of the flush apparatus, and which includes an exhaust or' suction fan operated by an electrical motor also protected and hidden from view, the motor and fan being normally inoperative when the seat and cover are lowered or closed, and rendered operative when the seat is raised or opened, while the fan has a damper also closed when the cover is lowered to prevent reverse or back draft, and opened when the cover is raised and a switch is thrown to put the motor and fan in operation by closing a normally open electrical circuit to the motor, whereby to exhaust the vapors to a suitable stack as between walls of a building for conveyance to the outside atmosphere.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more clearly in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and in section, showing my device applied;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, also partly broken away and in section;

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view of the suction intake manifold;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail' sectional elevation taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2, and showing one form of switch for controlling-the operation of the motor.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein the device is shown applied, In is a bowl having the rim H with a flush water passage I! with discharge openings I3, horizontal rear inlet extension H with side flanges or vertically apertured ears l5 and connection or coupling [6 to a water supply or flush pipe ll receiving its supply from any suitable valved controlled means, such as a low flush tank l8 coupled thereto as at l9.

The bowl is provided with a seat section 20 hinged by brackets or leaves at 2| to posts 22 clamped through apertured fianges'or ears l5. Between the seat 20 and bowl rim II from which it is slightly spaced, is a rubber or like packing or cushion 23; while a seat cover section 24 is supported when closed on seat section 20 with interposed cushions 25, and also hinged at 2| by brackets or leaves on a pintle common to both sections to swing up and down toward and away from the flush control or tank l8 in the usual manner common in the art.

This structureds standard and may vary in details according to the type of flushing apparatus or fixture installed, but the tank is shown against a wall. 26 of a building, with inner and outer or spaced portions or walls 2'! and 28 forming a stack or air space 29 therebetween communicating with the atmosphere or otherwise ventilated.

In connection with my invention, the cushion 23 is omitted between the bowl In or rim H thereof and seat 20 at the back on the horizontal shelf extension and flange H-IS in the space which receives, and below the hinge or pintle leaves or brackets attached to the seat 20 at the bottom, as shown, and pivoted to a common pintle 2! also provided for the hinge or pintle leaves or brackets attached to the bottom of the cover 24 and received on the bowl rim in the space between said bowl and seat. In this space is positioned a hollow suction intake manifold 30, which, however, may be thinner than the,

space so that the top face of the manifold is spaced from or in close proximity to the bottom face of the seat and hinge brackets or leaves of the seat, as shown at 3| in Fig. 1, so that no pressure will be exerted thereon by the seat,

although this is optional.

The manifold may be of suitable non-rusting material such as aluminum, fibre, wood, white metal, brass, iron, hard rubber, Bakelite, synthetic or plastic composition,'or otherwise, or may be of rubber or cushioning material of sufficient hardnessnot to compress or flatten out, or, if of rubber or soft, or formed to fit a recess or cut out in, or as part'of the cushion,23, the seat may be supported from the bowl in spaced relation, in close proximity to, or just touching the top of the manifold. A casting of rigid or hard material is preferred, such as aluminum.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, said manifold has an open concaved forward or inner edge 32 set back in spaced relation from the inner edge of the bowl ledge or rim II to prevent the water from entering or splashing into the same, but the top and bottom walls are reinforced by spaced division, walls, webs, or spacers 33 at said'curved 7 open inner side or forward edge 32, which may tion 38 gradually increased in thickness to tubular form and round cross section and extending toward one side around or so as to clear the pipe ll. For this purpose, one side ofthe neck 36 extends at an obtuse angle and the other side at an acute angle, and the end may be reduced to form a nipple as at 31, or extended as faras necessary to connect with a suitable ventilating-means or suction fan 38 as will be more fully explained.

The casting or manifold has side flanges or a bottom plate extension 39 at the back to rest on the top of ledge H or flanges l5 and provided with apertures or slots 4,0,preferably enlarged or elongated transversely to accommodate and receive the threaded stems of the forwardly curved posts or stud bolts 22 to secure the manifold in positionby nuts 4|, and washers 42 are interposed between the enlargements or flanged heads of the posts and flanges or plate 39, and between the latter'and the flanges l5 or top of the bowl, which is usually of vitreous material. Such washers 42 are also interposed between the bottom of the flanges l5 and the nuts 4i threaded on the lower ends of the posts, to prevent-contact of the metal with the bowl and securely clamp the seat and cover, as well as the manifold in position.

The neck or pipe 36 may be as short or as long as, desired or necessary, but as shown, in order to connect the same to the suction fan or blower 38, a pipe extension or conduit section 43 is connected to neck 36 and nipple 31 and a nipple or sleeve extension 44 on the casing or housing of the fan 38 at the axis of rotation of its impeller 45 overthe intake 46. The fan is driven by an electrical motor 41, and the fan has an outlet 48 which is shown extending eccentrically in an upward direction and into the stack or space 29 or may extend through the wall or communicate with the outside atmosphere in any other suitable way. The fan and motor are supported in an open top box or compartment 49 positioned through an opening 50 in the inner wall 21 and upon a horizontal partition support 5|, the front of the box 49 being closed by a removable cover plate 52 providing access to the fan and motor and having an opening receiving the pipe 43 and insulated wires 53 and 54 from the motor 41. The outlet 48 is provided with a damper 55 normally held closed by a spring 56 connected at one end to a shaft 51 to which the damper plate is fixed and on the projecting end of which the spring is mounted, while the other end of the spring is anchored to the outlet.

An arm 58 is fixed to the opposite end of the shaft and is pivotally connected to a link 59 disposed through an opening in cover plate 52 to a switch lever arm or buttgp 60 of a switch 6|, set in a slot in pipe 43. An arm 62 attached to the underside of the seat or cover 24 projects .up-

wardly and rearwardly and is also pivotally connected to arm 60 by a link 63 properly shaped or curved to translate arcuate or oscillatory move i' ment of the arm 62 into similar or reciprocable movement of the arm 60 of the switch 6| shown of the 2-point type. One wire 53 from the motor 41 to one of a pair of spaced insulated stationary contacts 54 of the switch 6| is adapted to be bridged by a movable contact 85 of lever arm or toggle 60 including a spring 66. The other wire 54 and a wire 61 from the other contact 64 are connected to a source of electrical energy, not shown, such as a battery, generator or a plug for fitting in a. socket of the house wiring. Obviously, when contact 65 engages contacts 64, the circuit is closed to the motor to operate the fan or blower and vice versa when the contact is in the opposite position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, which is the normal position when the cover is closed and arm 60 is forward. However, when the cover is opened, it will, through arm 62 and link 63, move arm 60 back to close the switch and.

circuit to the motor. At the same time, the arm 60 will move link 59 rearwardly to swing the arm 58 and simultaneously open the damper or outlet control valve and reverse draft'control check 55, so that the vapors; etc., will be exhausted, and proper and thorough ventilation insured. By reason of the cover plate 52, ready access may be had to the motor and fan for any purpose."

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a ventilating device of the class described, a suction intake manifold supported between a seat having a cover and bowl, a suction member extending therefrom, a damper therefor, and

means for simultaneously operating the damper and controlling the suction member upon opening the seat cover.

2. In a ventilating device of the class described, a suction intake manifold supported between a seat having a cover and bowl, a suction member extending therefrom, a damper therefor, and means operable by raising the seat cover to dually operate the damper and control the suction memher so that'the damper is closed when the suction member is inoperative and open when the suction member is operative.

3. In a ventilating device of the class described, a bowl, a seat therefor'having a cover, a manifold on the bowl, a pipe extending therefrom, a suction fan having an inlet connected to the pipe, and an outlet, a normally closed damper in the outlet and means operable by opening the seat cover to operate the damper and fan.

4. In a ventilating deviceof the class described, a bowl, 2. seat, a cover therefor, an intake manifold, a pipe extending therefrom, a suction fan having an inlet connected to the pipe, and an outlet, a normally closed damper in the outlet and means operable by opening the seat cover to open the damper and operate the fan and vice versa, said means including an electrical circuit to the fan having a switch mounted on the pipe.

5. In a. ventilating device of the class described, a bowl, a seat, a cover therefor, an intake manifold, a pipe extending therefrom, a suction fan having an inlet connected to the pipe, and an outlet, a normally closed damper in the outlet and means operable by the seat to operate the damper and fan, said means including an electric motor for driving the fan, a switch on the pipe controlling a circuit to the motor, and connections between the seat cover and switch and between the switch and damper, to open the damper when the seat cover is raised and close the circuit to the motor through the switch, and vice verse.

6. in levetery device, a flush tank, a recep teeie set in a well below the tan and having a front We with an opening and an open top, an ez'cuate suction iniake manifold supported be tween e seat and a bowl and having its ends v eurveii end projecting partially around the same, 

